Reports confirm that Debbie Nelson, mother of Eminem, has died at 69. She passed away in St. Joseph, Missouri, due to complications from advanced lung cancer. The public had learned of her diagnosis earlier in 2024.
Debbie Nelson, the oldest of five siblings, was born on a military base in Kansas. As a teenager, she wed Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. and later gave birth to Marshall Mathers, who would become the legendary rapper Eminem, on October 17, 1972. Throughout his formative years and well into his storied career, Eminem’s relationship with his mother remained fraught with tension. His lyrics, including those from “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” and “My Name Is,” laid bare the anger and disillusionment that defined their complicated bond.
From Legal Battles to Reconciliation
In 1999, Nelson filed a defamation lawsuit against her son, demanding $11 million. According to ABC News, the court sided with Nelson, but after deducting legal expenses, the award was significantly lower—just $25,000 in 2001. Additionally, her tumultuous relationship with Eminem became widely known through her 2007 memoir, My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem, which offered an intimate look into their personal struggles.
In her memoir, Nelson opened up about her difficult relationship with her son. Years later, Eminem tried to make amends, expressing regret for their past in songs like “Headlights” from 2013. He raps on the song, “And I’m mad I didn’t get the chance to thank you for being my mom and my dad/ So Mom, please accept this as a tribute I wrote on this jet.”
In recent years, Nelson voiced her admiration for her son’s success, especially during his 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In a special video message, she stated, “Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame.” “I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you. And also I’m very proud of [granddaughter] Hailie Jade, my big girl. I want to tell you, Hailie, great job on your podcast and God bless you guys. I love you very much.”
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